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CineVerse is a weekly film discussion group that explores the universe of cinema. We meet every Wednesday from 7-10 p.m. in Oak Lawn, Ill. at Oak View Center (4625 W. 110th St., click here for directions) in the theater or the room announced on building signage. At every meeting, we discuss a different movie, chosen by our members on a rotating basis. CineVerse is open to anyone 17 years and older. To join our group or for more info, e-mail Erik the founder/moderator at cineversegroup@gmail.com

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Thursday, August 8, 2013

CineVerse took an in-depth peek at the high-stress life of a salesman last evening with a viewing of Glengarry Glen Ross. The group discussion garnered many cogent comments. Here's a roundup of what was talked about.

WHAT ARE THIS FILM’S
GREATEST STRENGTHS AND WHAT ARE ITS GREATEST WEAKNESSES?

·The film benefits from the whip smart writing of David
Mamet, especially the credible dialogue and distinctive vernacular of the
characters, as well as the rhythm and cadence of the language.

·Incredible casting featuring an A list of top-notch
actors, each of whom could carry their own movie: Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Ed
Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey and Alec Baldwin.

·The story is very condensed, occurring over roughly a
24-hour period; hence, we get a snapshot portrait of each character within a
short time frame and within a pressure cooker milieu.

·However, there isn’t much of a story or a plot here;
the theft and the investigation of it adds intrigue, but this is really less of
a story than it is a character study and a depiction of a harsh workplace
environment and vocation.

·Written originally as a stage play, there isn’t much
action or shifting to interesting settings. Hence, this isn’t a film that’s
going to showcase dramatic camera movement, innovative editing techniques or
impressive sets. It’s a film that soars or fails on the merits of its
characters, which means that it had better be well scripted and well acted.

·It’s also a very bleak, pessimistic and tonally dark
picture with many unsympathetic characters that can leave you feeling depressed
and cynical.

·Mamet stated that the play is about “how business
corrupts” and about how “those in power in the business world…act unethically.”

·Critics and historians have posited that this play,
written in the 1980s, is Mamet’s critique of Reaganomics and the “greed is
good” materialistic ideology of the eighties.

·The unfair system in business and capitalism whereby
the rich get richer and the poor get poorer; those who succeed are rewarded
with more opportunities to succeed, while those who struggle cannot advance.

oMamet was heard to say about his play: “This is play
is not…about love. This is a play about guys, who when one guy is down…the guy
who’s up then kicks the other guy in the balls to make sure he stays down.”

·Nobody wins in a corporate culture that emphasizes
greed and numbers over human beings: by the end of the film, every character
has lost: Roma’s sale to Lingk has been lost; Lingk feels like he has
disappointed Roma; Williamson has lost business with the ransacked office;
Levene and Moss will be prosecuted; Aaranow is even accused of theft.

·The universal experience of being in a job you hate
and feeling powerless and desperate as you’re trapped in that position.

·This is also a study about the persuasiveness of
language: those characters who are able to verbalize persuasively better
succeed and command respect

·In this story, masculinity defines a character; as
writer Helen Johnson put it: “the audience hears that a salesman’s masculinity
is based, almost exclusively, on his ability to sell products to his
customers.” Masculinity in this universe is earned.

oInterestingly, however, each character is emasculated
during the film in their mission to “act like a man.”

WHAT OTHER FILMS OR WORKS
OF LITERATURE DOES THIS MOVIE REMIND YOU OF?

·Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman

·Wall Street

·Reservoir Dogs, in how there’s not much of a plot,
it’s a character-driven piece with terrific dialogue, and nearly every
character betrays each other.

·Patton, in that both films start off with tremendous
opening monologues that play like stern pep talks.